Sports Narrator Andy Taylor | The Voice of the US Open | US Open
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[13] Coco Vandeweghe -52- (USA) and Ashleigh Barty -15- (AUS) | 2019 Doubles Champions
Coco and Ashleigh first teamed-up back in March at Indian Wells, where they fell in the 1st-Round to Gabriela Dabrowski and Yifan Xu. Undeterred, they moved-on to Miami, where the new tandem won five straight matches to capture the title – including a Round-1 victory over today’s Finalists Kristina Mladenovic and World #1 Timea Babos. This afternoon, these teams faced each other for the 4th time this year. And just like their three previous encounters, this one came down to the wire.
[vector_icon icon=”fas-fa arrow-circle-right”] def [2] Kristina Mladenovic -08- (FRA) and Timea Babos -01- (HUN) | 36 76(2) 76(6)
Both of these teams reached today’s championship match without dropping a set. No doubt, they’ll meet again this October in the WTA Finals Singapore. The level of play in this championship match lived-up to the moment, with 2-and-a-half hours of twists, turns, drama, dejection and unexpected triumph.
First, a look at their previous three matches:
[vector_icon icon=”fas-fa chevron-right”] R1 Birmingham | Timea Babos and Kristina Mladenovic | 76(4) 63
[vector_icon icon=”fas-fa chevron-right”] QF Madrid | Timea Babos and Kristina Mladenovic | 75 36 [11-9]
[vector_icon icon=”fas-fa chevron-right”] R1 Miami | Coco Vandeweghe and Ashleigh Barty | 36 62 [10-4]
2018 US Open Championship Match
Babos and Mladenovic took set-1, breaking Barty twice. They earned double championship point on Vandeweghe’s serve late in the second, but Coco erased both to level the set at 5-all. In the tiebreak, Coco and Ashleigh dominated, allowing both Timea and Kristina just a single service point each.
No surprise, the deciding-set came down to a tiebreak, as well. But not before Timea and Kristina were forced to save 2 championship points of their own, down 4-5 on Babos’ serve!
In the tiebreak, Babos and Mladenovic jumped ahead 5-3 with a break on Vandeweghe. But Ashleigh and Coco dug-in. Coco held. The pair broke Babos to level it at 5-all. Mladenovic then earned championship point #3 with a tremendous volley to the back corner. Intense.
Ashleigh Barty then came up with two brilliant service points, giving she and Coco their third championship point. Arthur Ashe Stadium was breathless. How long would these two dynamic teams go back-and-forth?
Not long. Down 6-7, on serve, all the pressure on Mladenovic – Kristina double-faulted on championship point. Game, set, match.
Tennis. It’s a heady game.
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[13] Coco Vandeweghe -52- (USA) and Ashleigh Barty -15- (AUS)
In the Semifinals, this tandem took-out the top-seeds – Barbora Krejcikova and Katerina Siniakova – to reach their first Grand Slam Final together. They joined forces for the first time back in March, and in just their second event together, won their debut title in Miami – defeating three of the top-6 seeds to lift the trophy.
Coco Vandeweghe
Last year, she was Team USA’s ROCK, winning all eight of her Fed Cup matches in the Quarters, Semifinals, and Final to capture the Fed Cup title for the United States for the first time in 17-years. This year, she’s helped lift Team USA back into the Final again, where they’ll defend the title this November in the Czech Republic. She owns 3 WTA Doubles titles, is a 4-time Finalist, and has reached two Grand Slam Mixed Doubles Finals – including the championship match here at the 2016 US Open. Competing in her first Grand Slam Doubles Final, from Rancho Santa Fe, California – Please welcome…Coco Vandeweghe.
Ashleigh Barty
Her partner is now a 5-time Grand Slam Finalist and has reached the doubles championship at all four Majors. Five years ago, she and long-time partner Casey Dellacqua reached the championship matches at the Australian Open, Wimbledon, and right here in Arthur Ashe Stadium. Last year, they reached the final round at Roland Garros. She owns 7 WTA Doubles titles, is a 14-time Finalist, and back in May – ascended to a career-high ranking of World #5. A member of her country’s Olympic and Fed Cup Teams, in 2014 she helped lift Australia to the Fed Cup Semifinals for the first time in 21-years. From Ipswich, Australia – Please welcome 2013 US Open Finalist…Ashleigh Barty.
2018 US Open Road to the Title:
[vector_icon icon=”fas-fa check”] FF: def [2] Kristina Mladenovic -08- (FRA) Timea Babos -01- (HUN) 36 76(2) 76(6)
[vector_icon icon=”fas-fa check”] SF: def [1] Barbora Krejcikova -05- (CZE) Katerina Siniakova -02- (CZE) 64 76(6)
[vector_icon icon=”fas-fa check”] QF: def Irina Khromacheva -55- (RUS) Dalila Jakupovic -50- (SLO) 62 63
[vector_icon icon=”fas-fa check”] R3: def Barbora Stycova -09- (CZE) Andrea Sestini Hlavackova -06- (CZE) 63 63
[vector_icon icon=”fas-fa check”] R2: def Desirae Krawczyk -74- (USA) Monique Adamczak -54- (AUS) 62 75
[vector_icon icon=”fas-fa check”] R1: def Qiang Wang -127- (CHN) Yafan Wang -79- (CHN) 63 60
[2] Kristina Mladenovic -08- (FRA) and Timea Babos -01- (HUN)
Earlier this year, they won their first Grand Slam Doubles title together at the Australian Open; and this afternoon, compete in their third Major Final. They reached their first Grand Slam Final at Wimbledon in 2014; and with their victory this June in Birmingham, now own 5 WTA Doubles titles as team. They’ve advanced to today’s championship match…without dropping a set.
Kristina Mladenovic
She is now a 2-time Grand Slam Doubles Champion, and has reached the Doubles Final at all four Majors. She captured her first Grand Slam Doubles title 2-years-ago at Roland Garros, and later that Summer – reached the championship match right here in Arthur Ashe Stadium. She owns 18 WTA Doubles titles, has appeared in 30 career Finals, and has been ranked as high as #2 in the World. A member of her country’s Olympic and Fed Cup Teams, in 2016 – she helped lift France to the Fed Cup Final for the first time in 11-years. From France, please welcome 2016 US Open Doubles Finalist…Kristina Mladenovic.
Timea Babos
Her partner is competing in her fourth Grand Slam Doubles Final. Over the Summer, shortly after capturing her 18th career WTA doubles title in Birmingham, she claimed the World #1 ranking, becoming the first player from Hungary ever to top the WTA rankings in doubles or singles. Now a 29-time Finalist on Tour, she’s a veteran of her country’s Olympic and Fed Cup Teams; and last year, ended the season by winning her first Doubles Championship at the WTA Finals Singapore. Competing for her first US Open title, from Hungary – Please welcome the #1 Player in the World…Timea Babos.
2018 US Open Road to the Final:
[vector_icon icon=”fas-fa check”] SF: def Shuai Zheng -61- (CHN) Sam Stosur -388- (AUS) 64 76(4)
[vector_icon icon=”fas-fa check”] QF: def [6] Lucie Hradecka -28- (CZE) Ekaterina Makarova -04- (RUS) 76(5) 62
[vector_icon icon=”fas-fa check”] R3: def [14] Racquel Atawo -36- (USA) Anna-Lena Groenefeld -30- (GER) 63 64
[vector_icon icon=”fas-fa check”] R2: def Sabrina Santamaria -59- (USA) Nicole Gibbs -249- (USA) 60 62
[vector_icon icon=”fas-fa check”] R1: def Alison Van Uytvanck -546- (BEL) Kirsten Flipkens -42- (BEL) 64 75
